Baseball game



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Ca! LINER FLY POP-UP POPUP INVENTOR. STRIKE DONALD E. HULL (9 BY HOIH LrD. E. HULL BASEBALL GAME April -9, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 7,B53

FIG.

INVENTOR. DONALD E. HUL L United States Patent BASEBALL GAME Donald E.Hull, Berkeley, Calif. Application December 7, 1953, Serial No. 396,449

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-93) This invention relates to a game, and moreparticularly to a game played with cards and other devices whereby agame of baseball may be simulated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel simulatedbaseball game which will incorporate the rules of the actual game ofbaseball and which will present the possibilities through themanipulation of the devices provided of achieving substantially all thediiferent plays and circumstances which can occur during the playing ofa baseball game.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simulated baseball gamewhich will permit the knowledge required for the skillful playing of anactual baseball game to be employed with success in the simulated gameto the end that baseball enthusiasts will find the simulated gamechallenging and entertaining.

A further object of this invention is to provide a card game wherein thecards are marked and distinguished with novel legends and indiciapertaining to the game and are arranged to be coordinated to indicatewhich of one or several situations apply to the play from the manyunpredictable situations possible.

Further objects will be obvious or will become apparent as thedescription of the invention proceeds hereinafter.

The invention comprises a game which employs a game board together witha deck of cards. The cards may be divided into five suits of unequalnumbers together with three cards of no suit, and on each card there areplaced various legends denoting possible conditions resulting in abaseball game when a ball is pitched or a pitched ball is batted. Whenone card is placed beside another an index, or in some cases a legend,on a designated one of the cards will, in conjunction with the othercard, indicate specific information relative to the further condition ofplay or position of the ball. Information relative to the position of abatted ball is referred to the game board, which simulates in generalconformation a baseball playing field, but which is divided intodiscrete portions in a particular manner, the portions containingsymbols and notations which designate the outcome of the play. Theinitial result of the play may, in some cases, be modified by furthermanipulation of the cards to determine the final outcome, all of whichwill be described and explained in more detail hereinafter.

The invention will be described more fully in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings which represent the components employed in apreferred embodiment of this invention. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents the cards of one suit of the deck, nominally the Fastsuit, and shows the symbols, legends, and indicia used thereon inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 represents the cards of the Curve suit.

Fig. 3 represents the cards of the Low suit.

Fig. 4 represents the cards of the High suit.

Fig. 5 represents the cards of the Slow suit.

Fig. 6 represents one of the cards not identified with a suit and whichwill be called the Screwball card.

Fig. 7 represents another of the cards not identified with a suit andwhich will be called the Wild Pitch card. i

Fig. 8 represents another of the cards not identified with a suit andwhich will be called the Pitch-out card.

Fig. 9 represents the game board simulating a baseball playing field,and shows the configurations and notations employed as a part of thegame.

It will be noted from the drawings that the preferred embodiment of theinvention contains a deck of forty cards which may be segregated asfollows:

15 Fast 10 Curve 2 Slow 1 Screwball 1 Wild Pitch 1 Pitch-out (UmpiresDecision) The cards of each suit may, if desired, be distinguished bymaking the markings on each of a different color, as, for example, blackfor the Fast suit; orange for the Curve suit; green for the low suit;blue for the High suit; red for the Slow suit. The odd cards can besufficiently distinguished from the suit cards by the distinctlydiiferent configurations of the markings appearing thereon, and theyalso may have colored identifications if desired.

The designation of the cards of the deck as Fast, Curve, etc. indicatethe nature of a ball that has been pitched. Each of the suit cards hason it a legend comprising a letter and a number combined, as, forexample, D9, Fig. 1, which will be used in a manner to be explainedhereinafter to give information as to the direction and distance of abatted ball. The combinations appearing on the cards of the varioussuits are as follows:

Fast-A1, J1, B2, H2, C3, G3, B4, H4, D5, F5, X6, Y6, E7, F8, D9.

Curve-C4, G4, AS, I5, B6, H6, D7, F7, X8, Y8.

Each card of the deck has in a designated corner on a particular side ofit a symbol representing a baseball. If the baseball symbol has an Sincluded therein, thus 9, it indicates that a strike has been pitched,and if it has lines representing a seam on a baseball cover, thus (11 itindicates a ball has been pitched. If desired, the ball symbols may bedistinguished by different colors, as red for Strike and black for Ball.

Each of the suit cards has disposed along one edge of it, on the sameside ofthe card that contains the baseball symbol, various legendsdenoting the condition of a pitched or batted ball. These legends areidentical for all cards of a given suit, with two exceptions notedbelow, but are different for cards of different suits. As will be notedin the drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the legends for the varioussuits are as follows:

Fast-Ground, Liner, Ground, Foul, Fly.

Curve-Foul, Ground, Foul, Liner, Fly.

LowBall, Ground, Foul, Foul, Liner, except card E8, Fig. 3, which hasthe legends-Strike, Ground, Foul, Foul, Liner.

HighLiner, Fly, Pop-up, Pop-up, Ball, except card J7, Fig. 4, which hasthe legends-Liner, Fly, Pop-up, Pop-up, Strike.

SloW-Ball, Strike, Ground, Ball, Ball. The Screwball card, Fig. 6,contains the legends Strike, Foul, Foul, Foul, Foul; and the Wild Pitchcard, Fig. 7, contains therepea'ted legends Ball similarly placed. Thelegend va symbol.

appearing on the Pitch-out card, Fig. 8, will be explained hereinafter.

With the exception of the Slow suit, on the opposite side of the suitcards from that containing the above- :noted legends appears the symbolof a baseball bat. This symbol is placed in an identical position on allthe cards of a given suit, but its position is different on cards ofdifferent suits. The Screwball card also contains such On some of thecards of the Fast suit, Fig. '1, namely, A1, J1, B2, H2, C3, G3, B4, H4,the word Bunt appears below the bat symbol in an identical position oneach of these cards.

The bat symbols and legends described above are so positioned that whentwo cards containing respective symbols or legends are placed with theirappropriate edges adjoining, the bat symbol will indicate which one ofthe various legends applies to the particular play, as will be explainedmore fully later. Where applicable, the word Bunt likewise indexes aparticular legend.

All of the cards, with the exception of the Pitch-out card, have at thecenter portion of their .faces the configuration of a diamond withinwhich is included one of the numerals 0, 1, 2, or 3, thus The numeral inthe diamond configuration is not uniform among the cards nor within .asuit, but varies as follows, as will be apparent from an inspection ofthe drawings:

Numeral 1 appears on Fast A1, I1, B2, H2, C3, G3, B4, H4, D5, F5, X6,Y6; Curve C4, G4, AS, I5, B6, H6, D7, F7, Low H6, B7; High E0, C2, G5,A6; Slow" C7.

Numeral 2 appears on Fast E7, F8; Curve X8, Y8; Low" E8, High 17, SlowG8.

Numeral 3 appears only on Fast D9.

Numeral appears on Low P4, D5, and on the Wild Pitch and Screwballcards.

The numerals within the diamond configurations are used to indicate thedispositions of runners on bases as a result of play, or in some of theoptional forms of play, they indicate the disposition of the ball, aswill be explained hereinafter.

The Srewball card, Fig. 6, carries on its face the legend Drop Ball.Similarly, the Wild Pitch card, Fig. 7, has on its face the legendOverthrow. These legends are used to introduce the chance of misplays inthe fielding of the ball when they are played at designated situationsduring the game, as explained hereinafter.

The Pitch-out card, Fig. 8, is used in some optional forms of play to beexplained hereinafter to indicate unusual fielding plays. The variouslegends shown on the Pitch-out card indicate certain relatively rareplays which may occur when this card is played against various othercards. The game is so designed that this card may, if desired, beomitted in ordinary play. Its addition to the game is analogous to theuse of a Joker in the ordinary deck of playing cards, and leads tocomplexities of play which make the game more realistic to the :expertplayer.

Referring now to Fig. 9, the game board which is used in this inventionis preferably, although not necessarily, made in a configuration of abaseball field which is divided into discrete areas by radial linesextending outwardly from home plate and intersecting arcuate linesspaced apart at equal distances and which have home plate as a center.In the embodiment of the invention exemplified in the drawings the'fieldis divided into nine radial portions which are identified by theletters, starting from left field, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and .I. Theportion of the field outside of the left field foul line is identifiedby the letter X, and that outside the right field foul line by theletter Y.

The arcuate lines, since they are spaced uniformly apart, divide thefield ,into different numbers of portions for various parts thereofdepending on the length of the specific part of the field from homeplate to its outermost boundary. Thus along the 'left field foul linethere are 14 arcuate portions, while at center field there are 16arcuate portions and along the right field foul line there are 13arcuate portions. Obviously the division of the field can be variedacross its area to accommodate different shapes or dimensions of partswithout departing from the concept of this invention.

Each discrete area of the field is designated and separately identifiedby the letter giving its direction and the number giving its distancefrom home plate, and the area of the field immediately in front of homeplate is designated by the numeral 1 While the area of the field behindhome plate is designated by the numeral 0, all of which will be apparentfrom an inspection of Fig. 9 of the drawings. The combinations of letterand number identifying a portion of the playing field are keyed to thecombinations or letter and number appearing on the playing cards tocoordinate the play between the cards and the playing field in a mannerto be explained hereinai'ter.

The positions of the players on the field are indicated by the symbolsfor catcher in area ii, pitcher in E3, first baseman in H5, thirdbaseman in B5, second baseman in F6, shortstop in D6, left fielder inB12, center fielder in E12, right fielder in Hi2.

The majority of the discrete areas on the field contain one or moredifferentiated symbols which, if desired, may be further distinguishedapart by making them of different colors, and which indicate a conditionof play of a ball batted to that area, in a manner to be explained. Thusthe areas ll, A2, B2, C2, D2, F2, G2, H2, J2, B3, C3, G3, H3, A4, C4,D4, F4, G4, 14, E5, to, C7, E7, G7, E8 contain the symbol 0 The areasE2, D3, F3, E4, E4, H4, A5, C5, D5, F5, G5, 35, C6, E6, G6 contain thesymbol 9. The area B6, H6, B7, D7, F7, H7, B3, D8, F3, H8, B9, D9, F9,H9 contain the symbol 9 The three symbols noted immediately above relatein general to a batted ball which is fielded on the ground and playedfor a put-out. The particular meaning of each symbol will be explainedmore specifically hereinafter.

The areas B9, E9, H9, All) to Hi inclusive, A11, C11, D11, F11, G11, Illcontain the symbol 0. The areas E7, E7, A8 to F3 inclusive, H8, A9, C9,D9, F9, G9, J9, A13, C13, D13, F13 contain the symbol (1). The areas A7,C7, G7, H7, l7, G8, l8, G13, BM, are, Hi4 contain the symbol Q. Theareas A6, J6, A114, C14, D14, F14, G14, E15, E15 contain the symbol Q.The areas C15, D15, F15, G15, E16 contain the symbol The areas Ci6, D16,F16 contain the symbol Q. The six symbols noted immediately above relatein general to safe hits. However, the particular meaning of each symbolwill be explained hereinafter.

in addition to the above symbols and notations, the playing field hasspecially designated areas marked Fly Safe which also indicate acondition of play. Thus by reference to Fig. 9 of the drawings it Willbe noted the following area are so marked: X7 to X16 inclusive plus A8and A; as a group; C? singly; G9'singly; J8, J9, and Y7 to Yltlinclusive as a group; X14 singly; C15, D15, F15, G15, and C16 to P16inclusive as a group.

The various symbols, legends and notations appearing both on the cardsand on the game board have been selected and placed so that during theplaying of this game various play will occur with about the samefrequency as they would in a major league baseball game. However, itwill be apparent that other arrangements of these factors can beprodueedwhich will approximate the same result. Furthermore, thefrequency of occurrence of any particular "or selected type of play canbe varied to any arbitrarily chosen value by a proper arrangement ofsymbols, legends and notation-s in accordance with the principles ofthis invention and without departing from the inventive concept.

The forms of the componentparts of the game have now been described,directed specifically to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in thedrawings. The particular meanings of the various symbols, legends andnotations, and the interactions of the component parts which occurduring the playing of the game will now be explained in the form of therules which apply to its playing.

RULES General rules Two or more players may participate in the game. Twoteams are chosen among the players, and it is decided in a mutuallyacceptable manner which team is first at bat. Within the respectiveteams the batting order and pitching order is decided. Players on thesame team sit side by side facing the other team across a table.

The pitcher shufiles the cards and deals six each to the batter and tohimself. The remainder of the pack is placed face down on the table. Thepitcher arranges his cards so that the ball symbols appear in the upperleft corners. The batter arranges his cards so that the ball symbolsappear in the lower right corners, thereby placing the bat symbols hemay have along the left margin.

Each batter gets a new deal, with all the cards being gathered andshuffled and dealt anew. If the cards which have been dealt are allplayed before the batters time at bat is completed, the pitcher dealsthree more cards to each.

The game proceeds according to regular baseball rules: Four balls givesthe batter a free trip to first base; three strikes on the batter putshim out; three outs puts the side out, and the other side goes to bat.An inning is completed when both sides have had their turn at hat. Thelength of the game may be agreed upon ahead of time, say 5, 7, or 9innings. When two or more players are on a team, they take turnsbatting, one after the other, but each player pitches a full inning at atime.

PITCHING AND BATTING RULES Rule 1.-Pitchz'ng and batting Both thepitcher and the batter can always make a free choice of any card intheir respective hands. The batter first steps into the box by pickingone of the cards from his hand and holding it in the other hand with itsface concealed from the pitcher. After the batter is ready, the pitcherwinds up by picking one of the cards out of his hand, concealing itsface from the batter. When both players are ready, they play at the sametime, each placing his card to the right of the other so that the cardslie evenly side by side on the table. The pitcher always places his cardface up, while the batter can choose to place his card face up if hewishes to swing or face down if he wishes to pass. It is important thatthe cards be placed on the table simultaneously so that the batter cannot see the face of the pitchers card before playing his own.

Rule 2.-Culled strikes and balls When the batter passes, the pitch iscalled a strike or a ball according to the particular symbol on thepitchers card. If it shows a symbol thus 6, it is a strike; if thesymbol is thus 03) it is a ball. Also, if the batter plays face up acard having no bat symbol, a ball or strike is called under this ruleexcept in certain particular circumstances set forth below in Rules 3,9, and the rules covering the use of the Pitch-Out Or Umpire card.

Rule 3.-Hits When the batter swings with a card having a bat symbol, theresult is shown by the legend on the pitchers card opposite the batsymbol on the batters card. If the cards are of the same suit, the batwill indicate a line drive by the legend Liner. Otherwise the hit may bea fly, a grounder indicated by the legend Ground, a pop-up or a foul.The Slow cards also connect with each other for line drives, even thoughthey do not have bat symbols on them.

Rule 4 .-Bunts When the batter plays a card of the Fast suit on whichthe word Bunt appears in addition to the bat symbol, he may attempt tohunt instead of swinging, by saying Bunt as he plays his card. Theresult of such play will be shown by the legend on the pitchers cardopposite the word Bunt on the batters, rather than opposite the batsymbol.

Rule 5.Directi0n of hits The direction in which the ball is hit isdetermined by the letters on the cards. The letters are ranked in thefollowing order:

XABCDEFGHJ'Y X is the lowest-rank card, and Y is the highest. On eachplay, the lower-rank card, whether played by the pitcher or the batter,determines the direction of the hit on the playing field.

Rule 6.-Distance of hits The distance of a hit is determined fordifferent kinds of hits by the numbers on the two cards, as follows:

Line drive Add both numbers. Fly Add both numbers. Grounder Takepitchers number. Bunt grounder Take batters number. Pop-up Take smallernumber.

The resulting number is found on the playing field. The combination ofthe letter and the number determines the discrete area to which the ballis hit.

Rule 7.--Missed strikes, and pulling back When the bat symbol fallsopposite the legend Foul, it means a foul ball out of play, on theground or in the stands. If a fly hit in the X or Y direction is notcaught it is counted as a foul ball.

Rule 9.-Wild pitch Whenever the batter swings at the Wild Pitch cardwith a card having a 2 in the diamond in the center, it is a wild pitchand any runners on base advance to the next base. If the batters cardhas a 3 in the central diamond, the runners advance two bases. If thebatters card has an 0 or a 1 in the central diamond, it is not a wildpitch, if the batters card is of the Slow suit, he takes first base forbeing hit by the pitched ball. Whether the batter swings or passes onthe Wild Pitch card, it is a ball.

Rule 10.-Passed ball If a missed strike occurs on the Screwball pitch,it gets away from the catcher. If the batters card has a 2 in thecentral diamond, all runners on base advance one base on the error. Ifit is the third strike the batter also makes first base on the error,unless it is already occupied and there are not already two out.

FIELDING RULES Whether a fielder can play a batted ball for an outdepends on the kind of hit and what discrete area on the field it is hitto.

Rule 11.Line drives A line drive hit to any discrete area containing adiamond symbol is a safe hit. A line drive hit to a discrete areaoccupied by a fielder or to an adjacent discrete area with the sameletter or number is caught in the air for an out.

Rule 12.Flies A fly ball or a pop-up is caught by the nearest fielderunless it falls in one of the areas marked Fly Safe.

Rule 13.Grunders A grounder hit to any discrete area containing acircular symbol is fielded by the nearest fielder. The ball may then bethrown to first base for a put-out by turning a card oil the deck asexplained in Rule 22. If there are runners on base who are forced toadvance on the hit, play may be made for them under Rule 14 or 15. Agrounder hit to a discrete area not containing a circular symbol issafe.

Rule 14.-D0uble plays If a grounder is hit to a discrete area occupiedby an infielder or containing a circular symbol thus the ball may befielded to make a double play, if a runner can be forced at second baseor at home, by throwing to the fielder at the appropriate base and thenthrowing to first base.

Rule 15.Fieltlers choice If a grounder is hit to a discrete areacontaining a circular symbol thus a runner who can be forced at any basemay be thrown out but the batter is safe at first base.

Rule 16.Advancing on infield outs A runner not forced to advance musthold his base on a grounder hit to a discrete area containing the symbolthus 0 or thus (9, but all runners may advance one base while the batteris being thrown out on a grounder hit to a discrete area containing thesymbol thus 0.

Rule 17.Sh0rt line drives A line drive hit to a discrete area in frontof an infielder, either in the sector occupied by the infielder or inone of the sectors adjoining it on either side, is fielded as if it werea grounder hit to a distance 2 units higher than the sum of the numberson the cards.

Rule 18.-Double play on line drive After a line drive is caught by aninfielder, a runner on any base can be doubled oif by throwing to thatbase.

Rule 19.--Extra bases Extra bases for the batter and for baserunners online drives and on safe flies beyond the outfielders are indicated bythe diamond symbols as follows:

0 Single-All runners advance one base 1) SingleRunner on second scoresSingleRunner on first goes to third Q DoubleRunner on first stops atthird (b Double-All runners score Q Triple Safe grounders and fliesbetween the infield and outfield permit all runners to advance one base.

Rule 20.H0me runs A fair hit to a number larger than the largest shownon the field in that direction is a home run.

Rule 21.Fielding errors Whenever a ball is hit where it may be fielded,the pitcher, or a teammate representing a fielder, turns a card from thetop of the deck to show the outcome of the fielding play; if theScrewball .card, which carries the Drop Ball legend, is turned, thebatter is safe and all runners advance safely; if any other card isturned, the ball is. fielded correctly for a put-out.

Rule 22.Throwing errors Whenever the ball is to be thrown to a base fora putout, the play is made by turning a card from the top of the deck;if the Wild Pitch card, which carries the Overthrow legend, is turned,all runners advance to the next base. if any other card is turned, thethrow is good and another card is turned for the catch; if the Screwballcard is turned, the runner is safe; if any other card is turned, he isout.

Rule 23.Extra-base errors When a fly is dropped by an outfielder, therunners are ertitlcd to whatever extra bases are indicated by thediamond symbol in the discrete area to which it was hit.

BASERUNNING RULES Rule 24.-Stealing bases To catch a runner off firstbase, after the batter is in the box, the pitcher removes a card of theLow suit from his hand and immediately lays it to one side, announcingthat he is throwing to base. The batter must then lay down the card hehad ready to play. If it is the Fast D9 card, which contains a 3 in thecentral diamond, the runner is out; if it is any other card, he returnssafely. If the batters card is the Wild Pitch card, all runners advanceone base. These cards are laid aside after such a play and do not countas either a strike or a ball.

OPTIONAL PLAY WITH PITCH-OUT The Pitch-Out card may be omitted from thedeckif it is desired to simplify the game. When it is used, thefollowing plays may occur:

Rule 26.-Pitch-out When the pitcher throws the Pitch-Out card, if thebatter swings with a card having a 2 or 3 in the central diamond, thecatcher may throw to first base to catch a runner there. Only if it hasa 3 in the central diamond may he catch a runner ofi second base. If thebatter plays the Wild Pitch card against the Pitch-Out, it is a wildpitch and all runners advance one base. There is no play if the batterdoes not swing.

Rule 28.Interference by batter When the pitche rthrows the Pitch-Outcard, if the batter swings with the Screwball card when runners are onbase, he is ruled out for interference with the catcher.

Rule 27.-Balk When the pitcher throws the Pitch-Out card, if the batterswings with a Slow card when runners are on base, it is ruled a balk,and all runners advance one base, whether or not a steal was beingattempted.

Rule 29.-Umpires decision When the batter plays the Pitch-Out card,which carries the legend Umpires Decision, and the pitcher plays a cardof any suit except Slow, if the pitchers card shows the strike symbol itis called a ball, and if it shows the ball symbol it is called a strike.

Rule 30.-lnterference by catcher When the batter plays the Pitch-Outcard against a Slow pitch, it is ruled interference by the catcher andthe batter takes first base.

Rule 31.-Illegally batted ball When the batter plays the Pitch-Out cardagainst a Wild Pitch card, he is called out for stepping out of thebatters box to hit the ball.

Rule 32.Hit by batted ball When the batter plays the Pitch-Out cardagainst the Screwball card, the runner nearest home is ruled out forbeing struck by the batted ball; if no one is on base, the batter isruled out.

OPTIONAL PIT CHING RULES Rule 33.Intentinal walk If the pitcher has fourballs in his hand, instead of pitching to the batter, he may displaythese at once to give the batter a base on balls.

Rule 34.Left-handed batters A batter may be permitted, by agreementbefore the game, to bat left-handed. In this case, the direction of allhits made by him is determined by the higher-rank card instead of thelower.

Rule 35.Right and left-handed pitchers The Curve cards bearing thedesignations F7, G4, H6, J5, and Y8 may be removed from the deck for arighthanded pitcher. The Curve cards bearing the designations X8, A5,B6, C4, and D7 may be removed from the deck for a left-handed pitcher.This modification, combined with that in Rule 34, will have thestatistical result that left-handed batters will get a higher percentageof safe hits against right-handed pitching than will righthandedbatters; the reverse will be true for left-handed pitching.

OPTIONAL FIELDING RULES Rule 36.-Umpires decision If the card turned forthe catch on a play to throw out a baserunner is the Pitch-Out card, therunner is ruled safe on an nmpires decision.

Rule 37.-Advancing after fly is caught After a fly is caught in the areaat distance 12 or beyond, a runner on third base may score; if atdistance 14 or beyond, a runner on second base may advance to third; ifat distance 15, a runner on first base may advance to second. However,if the pitcher holds among the cards remaining in his hand the Fast D9card, he may show it and then throw to catch the runner attempting toadvance.

Rule 38.-Runner out stretching a hit After an extra-base hit, if thepitcher has among the cards remaining in his hand the Fast D9 card, hemay show it and then throw out the batter at second base if the hit isto a discrete area containing one of the diamond symbols thus Q; or hecan throw out the batter at third base if the hit is to a discrete areacontaining one of the diamond symbols thus Q; or he can throw out therunner at home plate if the hit is to a discrete area containing one ofthe diamond symbols thus 1); or Q or he can throw out the runner goingto third base if the hit is to a discrete area containing the diamondsymbol thus OPTIONAL BASERUNNING RULES Rule 39.-Hit-and-run play If thebatter says Hit and run or Stealing as he swings and hits the ball, anyplay for runners on base will be made as if the ball had been hit onediscrete area farther from the fielder than is shown by the cardsplayed. If the batter misses the ball on a hit-and-run play, play ismade for the runner under the base-stealing rule, Rule 24. If the batterhits a line drive to an outfielder, any runner on base may be doubledoff. A line drive to an infielder can be played for a triple out. On abunt fly, any runner on base may be doubled ofi. On any other fly,runners return safely.

Rule 40.--Run-down play If a base runner is caught ofi first base byplaying the Fast D9 card against the Pitch-Out card, the runner istrapped between bases and must be run down. This is done by the pitcher,or a teammate representing a fielder, turning successive cards ofi thepack until he turns a card have a 2 in the central diamond, which putsout the runner. If, before he turns a 2, the Screwball card is turnedup, the runner gets back to base safely; if the Wild Pitch card isturned up, he advances to the next base.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description of parts andexplanation of play that a novel game has been devised which simulatesthe game of baseball, which permits the rules of the actual game toapply to its playing, and which provides for the effects of both skilland chance to influence the game in a manner similar to that encounteredin playing the actual game. It will be apparent further, that this novelgame can be, at will, graduated in complexity so that in one form itwill be interesting to the beginning player, and in other forms it willbe sufficiently complex to fascinate the very skillful.

Obviously, the particular number and form of parts, selection andlocation of legends and symbols, and particular application of specificrules may be varied to produce alternative modifications of the gamedescribed and illustrated in the exemplary embodiment set forth hereinwithout departing from the inventive concept. Therefore, it is notintended nor desired to limit the invention specifically to theexemplary embodiment disclosed but to embrace all equivalents within thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A card game simulating a baseball game, compris' ing a plurality ofrectangular cards having identical backs and distinguishable in suits ontheir faces, the faces of said cards having various differentinformation thereon pertaining to the playing of the game and positionedalong a first edge thereof in items, the sequence of said items beingidentical for cards of the same suit and different for cards ofdifferent suits, said cards having an index thereon and positioned on asecond edge thereof opposite to said first edge, said index beingdifierently positioned along said second edge for cards of differentsuits, said cards being devised to be played in coordination by opposingplayers to form pairs with the said first edge of one card of a pairplaced adjoining and in align ment with the said second edge of theother card of the pair, said index on said other card of the pair beingpositioned to physically point out a specific portion of the informationcontained on the said one card of the pair to thereby designate aspecific condition of play for the game.

2. In a card game simulating a baseball game, a plurality of rectangularcards each distinguishable from theothers, each of said cards containinga different variety of information designating various possibleconditions of play, some of said information distinguishing particularcards as a ball or a strike, some of said information on some of saidcards denoting by separate items various conditions of a pitched balland a batted ball, the lastnamed information being separatedsequentially by items on said some of said cards and placed along anedge thereof, means on some of said cards to physically point out onothers of said cards a specific one of said items when two of said cardsare played as a pair, some of said variety of information denoting adirection and distance of a batted ball, the direction and distanceinformation being combined for two cards played as a pair to determinefor a play the direction and distance of a batted ball, and some of saidvariety of information on some of said cards denoting a conditioninfluencing a runner on base said plurality of cards being playedsequentially in coordinated pairs by opposing players to produce acontinuum of difierent plays and conditions of play to advance said gameto completion.

3. In a game simulating a baseball game, the combination of a pluralityof rectangular playing cards and a game board each of which contains avariety of information thereon pertaining to the playing of the game,said cards having faces which are mutually distinguishable from eachother and having identical backs, said cards being arranged to be playedin pairs in coordinated relationship, means placed adjacent an edge onsome of said cards to physically point out a particular portion of saidinformation positioned in items along an edge on others of said cards todesignate a particular condition of play, said cards being arranged toprovide in coordination information in addition to said particularportion thereby to provide further information pertaining to a conditionof play, the combined information from said cards designating particularinformation to be selected from said variety of information on said gameboard to thereby provide further information pertaining to a conditionof play sequential pairs of cards being continuously formed by opposingplayers to produce a series of dilferent plays and conditions of playwhich will advance the said game to completion.

4. In a simulated baseball game a plurality of rectangular cards and agame board representing a baseball field and having home plateestablished thereon, said game '12 board beingdividedinto a plurality ofdiscrete areas, indicia associated with said discrete areas to indicatefor each a-respect'ive position relative to home plate, differentiatedsymbols associated with said discrete areas to indicate conditions ofplay for respective areas, said cards having various legends thereondenoting conditions of play, some of said legends being disposed alongan edge of said cardsin items, the sequence of said items beingidentical for cards of the same suit, said cards having in-- diciathereon corresponding to the first said indicia, said cards beingarranged to be played in coordination by opposing players to form pairs,means on some of said cards to physically point out particular legendson others of said cards to denote particular conditions of play, thesaid indicia on a pair of cards being combined to select a discrete areaon said game board, the information from said cards and said game boardbeing combined to determine the outcome of a play and said plurality ofcards being played sequentially in coordinated pairs to produce togetherwith the sequentially indicated information on said game board acontinuum of difierent plays and conditions of play to advance said gameto completion;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS840,584 Piper Jan. 8, 1907 1,069,741 Tompkins Aug. 12, 1913 1,084,618Elliott Jan. 20, 1914 1,267,947 Whiteside May 28, 1918 1,532,066 OConnorMar. 31', 1925 2,060,973 Brown et al. Nov; 17, 1936 2,629,597 Lenit Feb.24. 1953

